Here is our update on our book Positive Steps to a Steady State Economy. Our first production copy of the finished book is in front of us, and it is looking pretty good, all 444 pages! First of all, our sincere thanks to all of you who supported the Kickstarter program to finance our initial production costs, including the cartoons by ‘Polyp’. In an exciting development, a very generous CASSE NSW member has made a major donation so that we can send a Special Parliamentary Edition to members of Parliament. This will have a message in front from famous ecological economists Herman Daly, Brian Czech, Joshua Farley, Dan O’Neill and Peter Victor. That is a great start but we want to go further to get the book ‘out there’.

We have drawn up a list of groups and people to whom we will give free copies. So far we have on this list:

Selected key media personnel if they will come to our launch evening (see below) or mention it in their media outlet (or both);

Key people in environmental and conservation groups;

Key people in unions or political parties (other than Parliamentarians)

Key people in the fields of education and academia

Any other people whom we really want to get thinking and talking about this issue.

Will you join with us in three ways to make our book known? Firstly, suggest to us particular environmentalists, media people, others, to whom we should definitely send a complimentary copy. Secondly, come join us at our Sydney launch. Thirdly, could you donate $25 to cover the posted cost one of our free copies (as above) — and if you like, you can nominate the name of the recipient and we will ensure that person gets a free copy. Get in touch with us at steadystate.nsw@gmail.com

Finally, talk about the book, show your copy to others, and also: tell us of any other things you can think of that we can be doing as well. Let’s make a real positive impact!

If you point out that Earth isn’t getting bigger, most people will agree. If you then point out that it won’t be possible for the economy to keep taking more and more from the Earth you may still find that most people agree (unless they are hoping to go space mining or colonise Mars). But if you try to link GDP to the physical size of the economy – the land area taken up by the economy, the amount of resources it consumes or the amount of waste it produces – someone will inevitably point out that we can grow GDP without using more resources as long as we ‘decouple’.

For those who have stopped equating economic growth with progress, whether we can decouple or not feels like a distraction from the more important issue of being able to sustain our civilization. To be sustainable, an economy may not exceed ecological limits. What about putting the effort into exploring the options for maintaining a stable economy within those limits (whether GDP is growing or not), and for achieving fair distribution? Once we have achieved those things, go and decouple as much as you like.

The number of signatures so far is 783, which is well below the target, but we know that there are lots more steady staters out there. A high proportion of people made the extra effort to add a comment, and there are such good ones that I’ve pasted the entire list of comments below.

Name

Country (required)

Comments

Phil Jones

Australia

If the transition from the Growth Economy to the Steady State Economy is not planned and happens because of a massive, everlasting depression, the consequences for our kids and grand-kids are going to be disastrous. I hope the G20 will be positive and proactive.

Frances Jones

Australia

I think this would be a great idea.

haydn washington

Australia

It is time for the G20 to wake up to the ecological reality that the world is finite – thus we cannot keep growing forever physically. We can have some growth via a steady state economy however, where it is not due to increasing population or increasing resource use. Let’s transform to a truly workable and sustainable economy!

Rentz Hilyer

United States

Economic growth is the underlying cause of so many of our social and environmental problems. In today’s world, the costs of growth now outweigh the benefits. It’s time for a policy shift toward a steady state economy.

Catherine Jones

Australia

If there is ever a chance to make the poor of this planet better fed and more comfortable then it will be done only if all the world’s governments become committed to making changes .

Greg Mitchell

Australia

Explotive Comsumerism is a receipe for social upheaval, terrorism, inhuman society. Small is beautiful.

Susan Bowes

Australia

The fairyland endless GDP growth targets of G20 pollies must assume infinite resources – upon which the economy, and thus sustainable jobs, are based. But we live in a finite world.

Robert Frost

Australia

We need to move towards enoughness and grow our happiness and enjoyment, not economies.

Phil Bradley

Australia

Mindless wasteful economic growth needs to be transitioned globally to a Steady State Economy with happiness and well-being still enabled! The SSE is also a critical component of mitigating dangerous climate change with 100% clean renewable energy by 2030 and net zero carbon emissions by 2040.

Matthew Washington

Australia

To transition to a Steady State Economy is the way to build a sustainablle future for human communities our fellow creatures and the biosphere. A SSE ia an economy in which we can flourish, avoid Climate catastrophe and respect our Earth and its natural systems !

Jeff Lean

Australia

To date, a Steady State Economy is the only macroeconomic system that can be demonstrated to guarantee economic stability, ecological resonsibility and a good standard of living for all the peoples of the planet.

Willy Bach

Australia

The 2014 G20 Conference was an expensive, militarised futility for the people of Brisbane. This, especially with the Abbott government’s refusal to discuss climate change and other real problems. Now the G20 has to demonstrate that it is a relevant body in the real world.

don owers

Australia

Growth on a finite planet cannot be sustained. Its simple maths, not rocket science

Geoff Dowsett

Australia

Anew global economy based on environmental and social justice is urgently required. End the GDP growth addiction NOW.

Murray Scott

Australia

For too long we have naively hoped that continued economic growth can be decoupled from impossible growth in pollution and material consumption. That assumption requires rigorous examination.

Peter Valentine

Australia

So fundamental …

noela Kelman

Australia

We need to reel in greed and role out thoughtful common sense……

luciana geveke

Australia

Stop Being Greedy

Paul Sowter

Australia

Primary school kids understand this.

Rodrigo Vidal Lazaro

Ecuador

Please G20 members: We need to think about the world we are leaving to future generations.

Shelley Sechrist

United States

It is urgent that all countries now create a steady state economy.

harriet mitteldorrf

United States

All Earth’s species, especially our own, depen on ending economic and population growth

James Standring

United States

This fundamental truth underlies all environmental damage.

Wendy Talaro

United States

Please include at the very least an ecologist and a broad-minded biologist in the Working Group. To model an economy on ecological principles without anyone on the Working Group understanding those principles is to invite the same kind of intellectual and professional disconnect from reality that already plagues the field of economics in practice.

JUSTICE ST RAIN

United States

The math is simple. We need to start planning now for a zero-growth economy that works for everyone.

John Pearse

United States

As an professional marine ecologist I understand how vigorous growth enhances productivity but always stops as some critical resource be comes limiting. Economics is based on the same principles and we have seen over 200 years of great productivity, just as Adam Smith predicted. And also just as he predicted, we are approaching critical limits that will lead either to horrendous crashes, or if international groups like G20 can do it, might level off with steady state internal recycling. Difficult but not impossible– and worth the attempt to prevent enormous human suffering.

Irene Saikevych

United States

Infinite economic growth on a FINITE planet is not possible. A steady state economic model is imperative for OUR VERY SURVIVAL, and the work needs to begin NOW.

Joe Sullivan

United States

Love it! I like to call it, ‘A Resource Based Economy’ or RBE. Keep Fighting!

Martin Knox

Australia

CASSE needs to address the public misconception that growth of population and economic growth are necessary conditions to sustain living standards. Also, top politicians executives and leaders use growth to fulfill personal ambitions and greed. This tendency needs to be ostracized. Growth needs to become a pejorative word,

Edward S Matalka

United States

I am signing this petition to recognize the necessity of a sustainable society. However, modern society is cursed by the the religion of progress and your proposed Working Group will be composed of its most fervent disciples.. You need to include ecologists, ecological economists, and even physicists to introduce scientific concepts, otherwise it will be a sterile exercise..

Ynes Sanz

Australia

We need to challenge the belief that wealth automatically confers desirable leadership credentials.

I sign this petition of my own free will and urge leadership to harken to it.

Charles Wright

United States

How can anyone agree that the Earth is round and still promote a growth economy?

bruce ritchie

United States

Our world is finite, and our human economy cannot be otherwise. Human “growth” has already depleted many resources, and damaged much of the environment. It is time for humans to reduce our negative impact on this earth thru population AND consumption controls. We MUST find “enough” and discontinue our constant search for “more.” Life on this earth depends on human discretion that we have NOT yet shown. Time for the G20 to change this fact.

Geoff Foster

Australia

Not an expert, but it seems a good idea,

Kent Welton

United States

growthism – growth-to-ruin is a sickness not an economic policy

John Neville

United States

A growth economy on a finite planet is insanity. Let’s do something right…together.

Ian E Macindoe

Australia

This is one of the most important issues currently before the world’s concerned people.

Graeme Stockton

Australia

Thankyou CASSE for developing such a great initiative.

Brian Thompson

United States

WTF! Physics people!

jeff mclean

Australia

The paradox is we need to GROW CASSE – to help counter uncontrolled GROWTH!

Manfred Max-Neef

Chile

Let us recover common sense. Infinity within the finite is not only impossible but absurd. MANFRED MAX-NEEF

Harry Steinmetz

United States

Best if luck.

Dr. William Steiner

United States

Get your mind off money and onto survival!

Naiten Wangchuk

Bhutan

Sustainable growth is a universal responsibility and it must addressed through a wider forum. For ages, we were preached of capitalistic idea where money is the medium controlled by greedy bankers, flawed economist and shrewed and short sighted politicians. Capitalism needs to be replaced completely with a better system that can assess the performance of the Nation not through Economic Growth but through other noble indicator: Humane Development.

Rachna Yadav

India

We have to fight for a new Economic World Order where capital and wealth creation are not even tertiary goals, but well being of the human race and survival of all species is given primacy through well researched policy frameworks that promote Steady State Economy

Lincoln Myers

Trinidad And Tobago

The addiction to economic growth over the past two hundred years, for all its perceived benefits, is responsible for the threat to human survival today. Mankind’s only hope of survival is to break the addiction.

Valerie Marak

United States

As glaciers melt so should the absurd growth and greed that are sending us to the brink..

David Kruse

United States

GDP/person woud be a good measure where GDP could go down while GDP/person could increase if population decreases.

Graham Townsend

New Zealand

It seems obvious that, by any meaningful physical measure, eternal growth is impossible on a finite planet. Humanity therefore needs to decide what we mean by ‘economic growth’; decide whether it is still an appropriate metric; and consider whether it needs to be replaced by something more appropriate and useful.

James Pawley

Canada

Grow up and pay attention! This is serious. It has been serious for 35 years and now it is really serious. Don’t make it worse by ignoring the obvious.

bob wolcott

Australia

The good of the natural world must come first; everything else must be subsumed to that.

Dana Pearson

United States

You’re suppose to be smart. You’re acting like fools… Traitors to humanity… Who DO you represent?

Theo Speaight

Luxembourg

Growth must be limited to be Sustainable. Power must be made accountable to encourage responsibility.

Andre Piver MD

Canada

90% of the money supply created out of thin air by banks is ridiculous. Money should be created by sovereign governments and put into circulation as spending on infrastructure and in providing civil services. The need to have growth in order to cover the interest/profit for financial institutions is absurd.

Dietrich Schwaegerl

Germany

Why didn’t politicians learn the basics of ecosystem analysis??? What a shame!

don owers

Australia

Mathematics at about year 7 should be enough to show that growth, especially exponential growth is not sustainable.

Diego Ragazzi

Italy

Infinite material growth on a finite planet is logically, mathematically and physically impossible. And there is no human activity that isn’t, in the end, material. Yes, even the so called “information economy”.

CHRISTOPHER PADLEY

United Kingdom

The transition is an absolute necessity, Governments must wake up to this.

Genni Pavone

United Kingdom

Enough is enough!!! We must save the World and Humanity!

Tim Pickles

United Kingdom

Take time to learn from all natural systems. It’s simply not possible to have unlimited growth in a closed and finite system. This is not “our” planet to use and abuse. It’s finite resources belong to all living species on the planet past, present and future. If we continue as we are, the system will ensure the demise of the unbalanced aspects. It’s happened so often before.

Jan I Sander

United Kingdom

Indefinite growth is clearly and practically an absurd objective. We must seek a way to survive within the bounds of the earths resources.

JOACHIM ZIMMER

South Africa

There is no planet B.

John Rolls

Australia

Until now the environmental impacts of economic activity have essentially been ignored by economists and decision makers. There are now multiple indicators of planetary overload, and the decline of each of these indicators is largely on account of economic activity. Time to face up.

Dr Richard Lawson

United Kingdom

It is impossible to expand forever into a finite space.

Michael Gill

Australia

Heydn Washington says it better than I can, but I would add stop the mad rush to Global centrealisation of decision making.

Richard Vernon

United Kingdom

This is an obvious and urgent requirement for the welfare of humanity and the biosphere of which we are a part.

TonySomerset

United Kingdom

Ever increasing consumerism, ever increasing debt and ever increasing pleasure seeking just is not sustainable by the planet we inhabit. We have to change.

Stefan Thiesen

Germany

Contra to popular belief and interest driven campaigns the world is pretty much on track of the dire predictions made by the now classic Club of Rome report “LIMITS TO GROWTH”, within the error margins duly given by the report. Given the limited knowledge at the time, the report was amazingly precise. We are now living in a time where we begin to venture into space, begin to stretch out our senses to distant star systems and their planets, and our understanding of bio-geospheric dynamics has grown even faster than our suicidal self serving “economy”, that nothing but betrays its name. In the 21st century we finally realized that we entered the anthropocene – a geological age where the human animal has become the deciding factor defining the fate of the planet. Pop-culture abides with insights into this fact, but political decision makers and even the self proclaimed science named “Economics” by and large ignore the state of affairs. Countries and businesses still are run with Mammalian territorial logics, driven by urge for power and greed – the logics of “mine” and “evermore”. Nothing could be further from the truth than our self-given species name “Homo Sapiens”. The wise, the insightful ape of genus homo? A preposterous joke at best! Perhaps Horaz, who suggested “Dimidium facti, qui coepit, habet: sapere aude, / incipe.” was wise, the majority of man and decision makers is not. To put it simple and straight: the current path of mankind will lead right into what bioastronomers and philosophers of environment and technology refer to as the “great filter”. It is the – hypothetical but very plausible – decisive point in the history of a planetary species, a technological species that has not yet become a civilization deserving to be called that. This point in history defines its future, decides whether it will survive, whether its planetary biosphere will survive and continue to sustain life. The whole point is that the science is on the table, but false beliefs, greed, ignorance, the gravity of our “system” and an immense singlemindedness of decision makers stands in the way of change. The potential is there. Although may already be too late – we cannot know for sure how the dynamics of bio-geospheric change will unfold – there also might be time to change course. But that change has to be ever more radical the longer we wait. The exponentially growing throw-away culture of mass consumption will do us in quickly. The logic of the exponential equation is merciless – especially when combined with complete lack of insight. We know loads of technological tricks, but by and large we are pretty stupid as a species and certainly not wise. Acknowledging our limitations – and limiting ourselves – are the starting points for change.

Our Economic System driven by Profit at any cost is destroying the Earth we depend on for survival without even sharing its gifts rather preventing most human being from benefiting from them at all…this can only end in Doom as every Economic Tyrant throughout History found to his Cost … There is enough when it is Shared Fairly, Inclusively not Exclusively as exits now; this is morally reprehensible & unsustainable in every sense

Kelsey Wigg

Australia

The current economic direction is unsustainable

Stephen Lee

United States

Russian billionaire Yuri Milner announced on Monday that he pledges $100M to find Intelligent life in space with the idea that they? might teach us how to live sustainably on our planet. Lets hope those members of the G2O are able to discover a compassionate intelligent approach that redefines ‘progress’ and steers our ship of world into a safer and saner future without having to wait for answers from the Gods summoned to save our ass.

Christiane Kliemann

Germany

Decoupling economic growth from environmental impact in absolute terms is likely impossible. The so-called “green growth” is a myth and keeps us from taking urgent action. We need to transform our economy and our institutions in a way that they become independent of the imperative of continuous economic growth. This is the logic of the cancer cell

Richard Laverack

Spain

Prof Kevin Anderson (Tyndal centre, U.K.) has been outlining the necessary carbon emissions reductions paths for many years. The required reductions path of 8/10% p.a. are not compatible with economic growth. The swell is getting bigger, with 4,000 people attending the last Degrowth conference in Germany. Far better to direct a transition than have a collapse.

Chancy Whitby

United States

Big international frameworks are a start, but the real change comes from ending the paternal transfer of wealth to those who are most affected by Climate Change and these unsustainable economics. IDP’s from climate related events need technology and information, not more handouts from big NGO’s to adapt to the changes in their environments.

NM Nayar,PhD

India

I agree in toto.

Stefan Ivanov Manov

Bulgaria

Until we make fusion work and/or colonize other planets, we simply can’t avoid our resources being limited. And in any case, the Earth is the only place suitable for us that we know of, so we should preserve it so for as long as we can. There’s no point in wasting resources when everyone can be happy with less.

Depleting or degrading our natural ecosystems will be detrimental to our health and finally a threat to our existence.

Bruce Turton

Canada

Even a steady state economic future is better than continual ‘growth’ leading to more waste on land, sea, and in the air.

Claire Mayer

United States

The challenge will be exciting and beneficial to all living being as well as for our beloved planet. Go for it.

Daniel Penisten

United States

I am thankful that some of Us have built an organization to teach the “Sustainability On A Finite Planet Truth”.

Joanne Poppenk

Canada

Infinite economic growth on a finite planet is a big problem. Stop it!

Morgan Nyberg

Canada

This is extremely important. Please do not delay.

Nicholas Marconi

United States

Living on a planet with finite resources means a no-growth economic system. The effort to grow: to produce and consume without limit makes no sense and is socially and ecologically dysfunctional.

SeÃ¡n mac Cann

Ireland

Uphill struggle – boom and bust economics is the new religion; helped on its insane trajectory by economically-illiterate politicians and a captive press.

Michael Kirkham

Australia

Need to get the general public to realise we live on a finite planet,

Clive Lord

United Kingdom

No one has yet thought how to persuade those creating wealth that creating less wealth, as they will see it, is a good idea, yet without a steady state, efforts to combat environmental damage are akin to cooling a fire by putting logs on it.

Lawrence Parker

United States

This is a worthwhile pursuit even though it seems fruitless given the general obsession with growth due to the usurious financial system.

Trish Bennett

Canada

Let’s become the Care and Share planet !Putting all of our minds together to figure out how to make sure EVERYONE’S needs are met not a system that allows such financial hoarding .

Janet King

United States

Micro-organisms cultured in a flask cannot grow forever, depleting nutrients and accumulating toxic wastes. Our planet is also a finite container and why doesn’t the same principle hold?

Ron Nicholls

Australia

It is time to recognize the futility and violence of infinite economic growth and the necessity of changes to our present economic system

Ken Merry

United Kingdom

We need some good leaders rather than a greedy money makers.

Samuel Alexander

Australia

It’s good to put pressure on institutions whenever we can, but when they ignore us, it’ll be a reminder that we need to build the steady state economy ourselves.

Helen Hutchinson

Australia

The Limits to Growth got it right and we are on track to mutual destruction. The time to do something is now.

Marcia Hutchinson

Morocco

We have a very finite planet, and we need to start taking that seriously. There is no such thing as unlimited growth–without horrible consequences.

William Dowling

United Kingdom

Since we 7.3 billion humans are collectively already overconsuming the planet’s biocapacity by 50% how can more economic growth and more population growth achieve anything other than a possible short term gain and a certain long term disaster?

Dr. Charles May

United States

As a physician deeply committed to global human health, I strongly believe that a movement away from growth to a steady state/sustainable economy, is necessary for human survival. Your attention and action in this matter are greatly appreciated.

Ed Nold

United States

As someone who has reached the limit prescribed by his DNA on his own personal growth, I naively recommend that government and corporate economists and business persons search for the DNA which limits our economy’s growth. The failure to do so, as yet, is limiting the quality of life for billions of people and other lifeforms and threatens the lives of future generations on this planet.

Ben Phalan

United States

I’m less concerned that there are limits to growth than that economic growth so far has resulted in the extinctions of innumerable species and is undermining the capacity of the planet to support such a diversity of life in the future. Alternatives to economic growth must be urgently explored.

Ken Melamed

Canada

Because so many people believe the ‘grow or die’ mantra, it will help if we develop a new definition of growth.

Danny Reddan

Australia

Growth needs to be successfully challenged if our civilisation is to make the necessary economic reforms to achieve sustainability.

Erica Rose

United Kingdom

Another term for endless, uncontrolled growth is cancer.

Richard Kock

United Kingdom

Evidence is strong to show that even wealthy countries are not able to reverse or manage the on-going environmental decline, loss of ecosystem integrity and ecosystems function, or loss of biodiversity under current socioeconomic paradigms. In addition there is increasing evidence that the period of unprecedented improvements in human health and longevity are showing signs of reversal not to mention massively increasing costs to, in any way, sustain the gains made. With a declining resource base and still growing human and domestic animal population, adherence to a conventional growth model is simply suicide.

Luc Vermeeren

Belgium

It’s amazing that we still need a petition to make people realise the absurdity of infinite growth!

Sandy Irvine

United Kingdom

The steady-state is the only sustainable solution. All other options will either aggravate the problem or ‘fix’ it but temporarily until it returns with renewed vengeance later,

Charmian Larke

United Kingdom

It is time to be honest and admit that economic growth has to stop on this finite planet.

Jenna Larke

United Kingdom

Please be honest about planetary limits.

Graham Palmer

United Kingdom

Continuous growth doesn’t make sense in a finite world.

Norman Marsh

United Kingdom

A sustainability plan needs to take into account the needs fro wilderness and other life forms at the earliest stages in planning.

John Marshall

United Kingdom

Exponential growth on a finite pkanet is nonsense!

Polly Cooper

United Kingdom

The current rate of consumption and economic growth cannot be supported by just our single planet. World leaders need to be brave and honest and accept that the current way of doing business cannot continue.

Margo Sheppard

Canada

We need to rapidly scale back our impact on this planet. Humans need to start having a mutually-enhancing relationship with nature and our planet. Time for a restoration economy!

Penelope Zapata

United Kingdom

Humanity needs this now more than ever. We need to aim all our economies at the well being of all our communities along side the ecosystems that we all wholly depend on for our survival and NOT aim our economies at exponential growth whilst using up all our resources and polluting the earth, seas and atmosphere in the process

Jackie Carpenter

United Kingdom

Exponential growth can’t continue; trying to control the transition is imperative.

lorely lloyd

United Kingdom

please

Emil

Canada

Besides the outdated inadequate economy models, another root cause of all other problems is the unsustainably large human population: it drives consumption, poverty, lack of education.

Noel Ducat

France

Allway thought it was not possible

Dave Wonnacott

United Kingdom

Our world has boundries. If we don’t recognise them, how can we avoid crossing them?

Margaret Nelson

United Kingdom

It’s common sense, so face the facts!

Mario RodrÃ­guez Artalejo

Spain

Constant growth cannot be sustained. Something else should be fostered by those who have the means to lead.

Daniel Safronoff

United States

Let’s live within the limits of our environment, and actually pass natural resources on to our children!

Lucille Bertuccio

United States

We are destroying our planet with unlimited growth.

Victoria Brownlee

United States

Please stop the greed and choose child-free.

Mark Diesendorf

Australia

Serious attention to this issue is long overdue.

Jenny Goldie

Australia

We cannot have infinite economic growth on a finite world.

Ifeanna

Australia

We need to transform to a more equitable steady state economy and want this discussed by the G20.

NIva

Australia

Infinite economic growth is not possible on a planet of finite resources, please work towards a more equitable, sustainable, just system.

Mik Aidt

Australia

What is needed now is a change of consciousness. We must face the facts of what scientists report is happening to the planet we live on, and how we, the seven billion humans (and counting), are playing with fire. We must accept the reality that economic growth based on the exploitation of finite resources and destruction of our planet’s ecosystem is becoming a threat to our own wellbeing and safety – and that to millions of people it will soon even become a threat to their survival. It is time to clear the air, literally, and start that transformation of our economy to one which is ‘circular’. We must re-build our communities, our infrastructure and systems to something which is sustainable with a long-term perspective. Saying goodbye to the economic growth-model is at the same time saying hello to creating new jobs and building communities where moral sensibility and conscience is cultivated, and where fear, isolation, woundedness and hatred can be replaced with a sense of unity and togetherness. We have that option. It is up to us, if only we start making the right decisions now, advocating for that change of consciousness.

David

Australia

It will be marvellous to see the best of human ingenuity applied to re-imagine the most powerful system we have yet created; our economic system

Professor Stuart B Hill

Australia

A Steady State Economy is certainly achievable – but it will require much more courage from our leaders, and genuine leadership, not just reactive management!

Derek Bayliss

United Kingdom

How can we explain to our grand-children that our greed has deprived them of their future?. A Steady State Economy is the only rational way forward,

John M. Parker

United States

Every one has a stake in this, in can’t just be about us anymore, but our children and grandchildren and the generations yet unborn. It is madness to pursue our current course when the outcome is so predictable and unfolding before our very eyes.

David Barnes

Australia

From a small acorn large oak trees grow.

Judy Blyth

Australia

Our finite world cannot sustain infinite growth. We must transition to a steady state economy for the sake of survival of not just humanity but all life on Earth.

We urgently need global leadership from an autocracy of the world’s leading scientists; we can no longer permit greed-focused economists let alone career-focused politicians or religious zealots to determine strategies for achieving a sustainable future.

Simon Barton

United Kingdom

We need a new breed of economists and politicians ,who accept basic facts and will direct their commentary and efforts to a sustainable human society, in which other species also have a place.

Stephan Bourget

Canada

A paradigm shift is required if we are to survive our own insanity. This should have already occured yesterday, yet officials act as if there were no urgency in the house. Time to wake up, earthlings.

Lise Carr

Canada

Cancer is growth-stop it now.

Anthony Gleeson

Australia

The longer it takes us to make the necessary changes, the bigger those changes will be

Anthony Gleeson

Australia

The longer it takes us to make the necessary changes, the bigger those changes will be

Karen Joynes

Australia

For the future of all life on our planet.

Helga Burry

Australia

The rate at which we are using the world’s resources to become richer in material goods is unprecedented. It is time we had leadership to develop a way to live more simply, and to change the way we treat our beautiful earth and all its creatures and plants.

Reference T

Australia

The consumption function is probably a nonconvergent series. Thus steady state is necessary else things is going to fell apart very quickly

uwe thomas

Germany

for a better world!!

Giancarlo

Australia

One of the greatest problems we inherited is a model based on constant growth assumption. I think the biggest lack in economics as a discipline, is a general failure to embed cyclical or steady-state models.

Mark Facer

Australia

By all means grow our economy with high value services, but material use and energy from carbon sources must be rapidly decreased. Can our leaders grasp this?

Chris Andrews

Australia

No issue that our global society faces is more important than creating a steady-state economy, because almost no other problem can solved without doing so.

Let’s with a minimum of effort realize a maximum of satisfaction and joy!

Fred Tromp

Australia

It is crucial that the G20 start preparing the world of an end to mindless growth

Michael Jessen

Canada

We in the developed world need to cut back on our consumption by 80% and we need to start now.

kanaan bausler

United States

necessary

marguerite dale

Australia

Encourage and invest in renewable energy!

Maureen Barnett

United Kingdom

There is no alternative.

Dick Smith

Australia

We cannot have infinite growth on a finite planet – as David Suzuki says on his U-tube clip â€œOne Minute to Midnightâ€ – it’s not speculation or hypothesis, our demand for endless growth is taking us down a suicidal path.

Stephen Crouch

United Kingdom

People seem to think that there is always a technical solution to our resource and food problems just around the corner, but there is no solution to all our countryside getting tarmaced over and resulting destruction of eco systems and appalling quality of life we are left with.

Dr John Sydney

Australia

You can’t take out more than you put in. Everybody understands that in everyday life. However, in economics too many people suddenly think that the universe operates by a completely different set of rules and that the Earth will just sort of miraculously replenish … In my view the steady state economy is worthy of far more and more serious attention and study than it is currently getting.

Victor E. Villagomez

United States

Infinite growth on a finite planet just doesn’t make sense.

Peggy O’Neal

United States

It is vitally important that overpopulation be on the agenda. Infinite population growth on a planet capable of sustaining only so much life is a recipe for the end of humanity as we know it, never mind what other actions we take on climate change and vulture capitalism.

Bill

Australia

Vested interests in the present consumer economy should not b e allowed to stop the steady state economy developing.

Cilla Kinross

Australia

It’s clearly not possible to continue in our current vein. Developed countries need to rein in their consumption and provide technology and assistance to developing countries so they can develop in sustainable manner. And this is urgent. Not only should be aiming to not tip the threshold of 2 degree warming, but we need also to curb our use of natural resources, so that they other species we share this planet with are not deprived of their habitat and food. We need an economy that is based on renewable energy, but importantly also one that is sharing and community-based, not beholden to manipulative, large corporations

Paul Almond

United Kingdom

Doubling the size of the global world product (GWP) every 15-20 years is clearly not sustainable. The planet needs to wake up fast!

Samuel Alexander

Australia

The Steady State Economy is the only coherent path out of the current unsustainable trajectory. We need to build the new world within the shell of the old.

Janis Sheldrick

Australia

We have the means now to literally see our planet as a finite whole and to register our impact on it. There is no excuse for behaving as if we are ignorant.

kees hulsman

Australia

we have identified the tipping point but are busily pushing the system in the wrong direction by giving more of the same that put us in this position. Change the strategy and promote a steady state economy to solve the problem.

Michaela McElligott

Australia

Please consider the natural limits of our planet Earth. We cannot continue as we are without dire consequences. This is the most important issue we are facing as a planet right now as it has the potential to catastrophically impact the entire future of all species on planet Earth. As a result, this must be prioritised above economic and social issues at this point. Your decision to consider a Steady State Economy could be a defining moment in our planet’s history. Please make the right choice. We are putting our trust and faith in you.

Dick Varley

Australia

To avoid dangerous climate change we need a rapid decline in emissions and that cannot happen while emissions increase in lock step with economic growth

Bill Oliver

United States

Please consider the bigger picture.

Chris O’Rourke

Australia

We live in a finite world. We cannot go on using the world’s resources at the same exponential rate as we have since the advent of globalisation, especially with the exponential increase in population growth. We need to reinvent the world’s economies as soon as possible.

Willy Bach

Australia

Another reason why Joe Hockey was a complete waste of space as Australia’s Treasurer (except the other duopoly candidates are also dead wrong on growth).

Greg Hutchinson

Australia

So ovvious yet growth economists can’t see the folly.

Ron Nicholls

Australia

This is a crucial time for the future and a new economic model is needed

David Barnes

Australia

Ultimately there is no such thing as sustainable development. Our system either grows or it collapses. Anyone who spends more than five minutes studying our current trajectory will, like Dennis Meadows, conclude that there is nothing we can do. It will collapse. There will only be a steady state at the hunter gatherer level. Get over it. You’ll all feel better once you realise it and stop fantisizing over managed degrowth and steady states. The G20 will as usual be long on talk and short on action. Every nation will put self interest first and strive for BAU for as long as possible. Have a nice day.

Sime Validzic

Croatia

Planet Earth belongs to all species. Human population growth and consumption is destroying natural habitats, exterminating animal and plant species, and leading to a lower quality of life for humans.

Margaret James

Australia

Countries like Australia are suffering as a result of population increase fuelled by high levels of mass immigration, with severe environmental and social consequences. G20 leaders can change that!

Robert Irvine

Australia

While our natural and social capital was abundant the Â´free marketÂ´ political economy brought freedom to many and great wealth to a few. But now both natural and social capital are in deficit and fundamental reform is essential for human health, wealth and happiness. A steady state economy is essential to eliminate externalities, to redress the balance and introduce an harmonious growth political economy to sustain our ecological, social and chattel wealth for another 500 years.

Allan Hayes

United Kingdom

Must act while there is time.

Karen Joynes

Australia

Time is running out for the growth economists to get the message.

Jan I Sander

United Kingdom

Sustainable growth on our finite planet is an oxymoron! We must refocus on human wellbeing for the worlds population rather than on increasing GDP which is an essentially meaningless measure. And we must use renewable energy (captured from the sun) to counter the inevitable chaos (entropy.)

Genni Pavone

United Kingdom

If this evil economic system do not change we will have NO future!

Stephen Crouch

United Kingdom

Economies based on growth are not sustainable in the long-term. We must modify how we prosper.

Grace Adams

United States

tautology

Denise Carrington

United Kingdom

Please at last recognise that you cannot argue with physics

Rob Pickering

United Kingdom

Come on G20 we need to get on with this!

Joy

United States

As long as I have “enough”, the health of the planet matters more than money.

Michael Rynn

Australia

Failure to heed is leading to mass extinctions

Manfred Max-Neef

Chile

Those who believe that permanent growth is possible in a finite planet are either mad or economists (Kenneth Boulding).

uwe thomas

Germany

for a better world!!

Claire Mayer

United States

Let’s get off this suicide path and onto a life sustaining one.

Cole Thompson

United States

The math speaks for itself. We must change.

Terry Korman

Canada

Zero Population Growth, a steady-state economy, the “balance of nature” … these are sustainable. Alternatively, â€œIf we don’t change our direction, we are likely to end up where we are headed.â€

William W. Steiner

United States

“Even at 6 billion the limits of planet resources are stretched; with GCW it is shortened.”

Sarah Bexell

United States

Please accept the laws of physics and move toward a global steady state economy that will allow for a future for humans (at lower population numbers) and all other organisms.

Eric Burr

United States

A big asteroid impact would be less painful.

Carol Rall

United States

MI

BjÃ¶rn Lindgren

Sweden

The demands that climate change put on our economy, production, and lifestyle are non-negotiable. Therefore, reach an agreement accordingly.

Alex Malcolm

United Kingdom

It is blindingly obvious that infinite growth is not possible on a finite planet and it is time our political classes and finance elites acknowledge this and start to mitigation processes.

Ross Honniball

Australia

Either the economy must change or the laws of physics must change. There will be a think tank somewhere working on the laws of physics, but in the mean time we should change to a steady state economic system. Go CASSE.

It’s utterly as important today as it will be tomorrow when we will have to pay the price for our indulgence via the unfettered “Growth Economy.”

David Brookshier

United States

Regardless of where anyone stands on the climate change debate the fact is we are destroying air quality across the planet. All we have to do is look at areas like Beijing during the 2008 olympics and its attempts to control excessive smog levels. As long as we continue to ignore excessive growth, production, and expansion as a problem we are deceiving ourselves.

Mary Drost

Australia

The world is too crowded already and this idea of eternal growth must be dropped.

Janis Rossiter

Australia

Humankind is the greatest threat to the survival of planet earth. We refuse to regulate our population to ensure the sustainability of the planet. We are destroying natural eco-systems and wiping out whole species. because of overpopulation and bad husbanding previously fertile tracts of the world have been reduced to desert. yet we are persisting to try to farm land that is not designed for intensive farming practices in order to feed human inhabitants. It is time that world organisations called a halt to population growth & begin to repair the damge caused by the past couple of centuries to enable the world’s inhabitants to live without fear of famine & starvation.

William Dowling

United Kingdom

Just what the human race need to make it through to the 22nd century – otherwise we will almost certainly become extinct!

Valerie Yule

Australia

Growth can only be in quality, not in quantity. A steady state is possible – and essential

Over population is the fundamental problem underlying our most difficult decisions. If we do not reduce the birth rate we shall die of starvation, war or disease. All more unpleasant than reducing the birth rate

Carol Blumenthal

United Kingdom

Wake up! time is running out!

Tony Jones

Australia

The need is to keep hammering this message until politicians begin to realise there are votesin promoting sustainability, including sensible population policy and a steady state economy. economy

Jeremy Randles

United Kingdom

Anyone who thinks that continual growth in a finite system is possible is either a madman or an economist.

Helen Quinton

United Kingdom

We must live in harmony with the resources of this planet, not continue along our current path of destruction.

Victor Villagomez

United States

As a software engineer I’m required to come up with creative solutions to tough problems all the time. I would get fired if all I said at work was “just restart your computer”. But how come economist keep saying the old “keep growing the economy:”. No! Stop being lazy and come up with a new and innovative solution to our economic problems.

Lucain Warwick-Haller

United Kingdom

Economists must start to understand that there are environmental constraints, and that quality of life, rather than perpetual GDP growth, should be the end towards which we are aiming.

Samy

United Kingdom

If economies keep growing…isn’t there a ceiling limit to such growths?

Lorraine Sumner

United States

We cannot keep net increasing by 227,000 more people per day

Maggie Hall

United Kingdom

It’s about time it was acknowledged that constant emphasis on “growth” just does not make sense in today’s world.

It is obvious the human population has overshot the land’s capacity to support it, but I think the corporations, through the mass media, have too strong a grip on the consciousness of the majority of people for us to effect change…well, so far that’s been the case but here’s hoping petitions like this help those with power to “get it”.

Greta Werner

Australia

Economics needs to become an evidence based social science which takes evidence from the natural sciences into account. If economists keep ignoring evidence from the natural sciences and social sciences, then their claims to relevance and credibility fail.

The Centre for the Advancement of the Steady State Economy (NSW Chapter) invites you to support an international campaign to have the G20 set up a Working Group to address the economic issues involved in the transition that has to be made from the Growth Economy to the Steady State Economy[i]. (The G20 already has a number of Working Groups focussed on particular international issues such as Tax and Governance). We take the broad view that the constant demand for economic growth is the key driving force creating the environmental problems we have today and needs to be addressed at an international level. You are invited to send the message below to:

changing it appropriately, to each of the G20 Outreach Groups (pasting it into the forms available on their websites – see below):

Young people – Y20

Business – B20

Labour – L20

Think tanks and academia – T20

Civil Society – C20

Business Women – W20

And to the:

The Prime Minister

The Finance Minister

The Central Bank Governor

The Sherpa (See below)

Information on the G20 and how to contact outreach groups is included on the following pages of this post. If you edit the message, we ask that you preserve the expression, “Steady State Economy”. Please add to the message any organisation you are able to represent and any special qualifications that may add weight to the request. Of course we would be very appreciative if you passed on this request to other likeminded organisations and individuals. Finally, please let CASSE (anna.schlunke@gmail.com) know if you make contact – so we have a record of who has been contacted.

The Message.

There is a growing awareness within the world community that infinite economic growth on a planet of finite resources is not possible and not supportable either for Earth’s natural systems, its creatures or its human communities.

The G20 has said it “will focus its efforts on ensuring inclusive and robust growth through collective action”. But rather than advance unsustainable economic growth models we seek a future where the global economic system transitions from a ‘limitless growth economy’ to a Steady State Economy (SSE). Such a transition can be planned or result from some form of economic collapse and its consequent social and ecological turmoil.

“Accordingly I/We ask that the B20/C20/Y20/T20 recommends to the G20 that a working Group of leading business and finance representatives, economists, Media representatives, trade unions , environmental NGO and representative community groups be established to advise the G20 on how the transformation to a Steady State Economy might best be carried out and what international financial agreements or reforms need to be established in order that this transition is done with equity and without social and ecological turmoil”

About the G20

The G20 is an informal group of 19 countries and the European Union, with representatives of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. Each year several guest countries are also invited to participate. At the G20 Leaders’ Summit commitments are laid out in the Final Communiqué, but these leaders’ commitments are decided during a long series of meetings between the different tracks of the G20, such as the sherpas (the personal representatives of the G20 leaders – they don’t have authority to make decisions but they develop agenda topics and possible agreements), finance ministers and central bank governors, and many reports commissioned from the World Bank and IMF. Each G20 country makes commitments, which they are held accountable to. The IMF monitors progress towards these commitments.

Members of G20

Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and the European Union. Guest countries in 2015 are Spain, Malaysia, Zimbabwe, Senegal, Azerbaijan and Singapore. Each has one vote. Turkey will host the annual G20 Leaders’ Summit on November 15-16, 2015.

G20 Outreach Groups

To incorporate policy contributions from a cross-section of society, groups of non-state actors are consulted. These are:

Young people – Y20

Business – B20

Labour – L20

Think tanks and academia – T20

Civil Society – C20

Business Women – W20

Each year, the G20 chair appoints a lead coordinator for each of the five groups. The appointed coordinator then pulls together contributions from that segment of society in both G20 and non-G20 countries, with the objective of identifying policy priorities for the G20.

Young people – Y20

Y20 is the official youth engagement group of the G20 which provides a platform for young people from across the G20 countries to have their voices heard. The Y20 Turkey Summit will be held on 16-21 August 2015. There will be policy discussions and the solutions generated will be presented to the G20 leaders for consideration during their discussions. The 2015 Y20 has been organised by the Youth Commission for Diplomacy and Collaboration (YCDC), Chaired by Mr. Emre Cenker. The list of delegates is not yet available (but apparently will be published). Suggested way to contact: Via the YCDC Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/ProjectYCDC. Also, there is an email address on this Facebook page: recruitment@ycdcproject.org, The Youth Commission for Diplomacy and Collaboration can be contacted here: http://www.ycdcproject.org/index.php/hakkimizda/ycdc-1#iletisim and Emre Cenker is on LinkedIn. When the delegates list is published we might be able to contact delegates directly.

Business – B20

The B20 contributes to the G20 on behalf of the international business community. The B20 Conference will be held from 3rd to 5th September and the B20 Summit is from 14th November to 15th November. Chair of the B20 in Turkey is Mr Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu. He is the President of the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB), which is organising the B20. The members of the executive committee are available here: http://b20turkey.org/the-b20/b20-turkey-executive-committee/ The members of the B20 team are available here: http://b20turkey.org/the-b20/b20-team/ The B20 Sherpa is Mr Sarp Kalkan. The Steering Committee is responsible for supervision and directing the B20 team and also providing overall quality assurance for the B20 outputs. Members of the B20 Steering Committee report to the B20 Turkey Chair. Members bios are are given here: http://b20turkey.org/the-b20/steering-committee/ There are four members of the Steering Committee. Three are from Turkey and the fourth is Australian Robert Milliner (B20 Sherpa for Australia in 2013 and 2014). Robert is also Chairman of the Board of the Foundation for Young Australians. Suggested way to contact: Use the contact form or email address on the G20 site: http://b20turkey.org/contact/ Australians could write to Robert Milliner via LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/pub/robert-milliner/49/641/112).

Labour – L20

The L20 represents the interests of workers at the G20 level. It unites trade unions from G20 countries and Global Unions and is convened by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and Trade Union Advisory Committee (TUAC) to the OECD. The Labour Summit will be held in November. The General Secretary of ITUC is Australian Sharan Burrow. Her email address is sharan.burrow@ituc-csi.org and other ITUC staff details are available here: http://www.ituc-csi.org/IMG/pdf/staff_list_website_may_2015-2.pdf The General Secretary of the TUAC is John Evans. He is also the ITUC Chief Economist. His email address is evans@tuac.org and other TUAC staff members are listed here: http://www.tuac.org/en/public/tuac/TuacWorkDivision2014_E.pdfSuggested way to contact: Write to ITUC General Secretary Sharan Burrow (sharan.burrow@ituc-csi.org) or TUAC General Secretary John Evans (evans@tuac.org).

Business Women –W20

The W20 was established in 2015, with the aim of increasing the participation of women in the global economy. Suggested way to contact: Use the contact form on the W20 site: http://w20turkey.org/contact/